Printed transfer and method of using same



Jan. 20, 1953 J. E. ADAIR PRINTED TRANSFER AND METHOD oF USING SAME Filed oct. .22,v 1948 .2:55 ELE s ,ZOEOUmn LO uvam v NR:

Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED .STATES PATENT YF F ICflE'.

`11min-:ren TRANSFER ANuMEfrHoD ,orY USING 4SAME The invention relates to transfers which are adapted to be applied to walls or surfaces and the production thereof.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide transfers of this type which areradapted for extended areas on wallsorsurfaces and can lbe produced at asuiciently low cost to be usable as a substitute decoration in lieu of wall-paper.

Another object of the invention is to DIOVde transfers of this type which are adapted to be applied to a Wall or surface and removed therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of producing printed4 transfers for application to walls or surfaces.

Other objects will appear from the rdetailed description.

These objects of the invention are attained primarily by printing with suitable ink and usually in colors, thedesign or matter, which is to be transferred to a wall or surface, on a backing of transparent wax-coated tissllevpaper, and applying a coating of pressure-sensitive adhesive confined to, and coextensively with, the printed design or matter. The transparency of .the backing renders the transfer visible While it is being applied to a wall or `surface so thatzit can be correctly spotted Yor accurately placed. on the wall. After the backing has been Apressed against the wall orsurface, the `adhesive on the printed matter will Yadhere to'the wall or. surface and the backingcanbe freely peeled from the printed matter Without marring .or disturbing said matter. The use of apressure-sensitive adhesive makes it possible to remove the transfer from the wall or surface .Without marring the wall or surface whenla. change in decoration is desired or when it is desired to substitute .one decoration for another. The adhesive is applied only to the printed or decorated areas on the backing so that, when the transfer is pressed against the Wall, no adhesive will be visible.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by the claims at the conclusion hereof..

The drawing illustrates, on a magnified scale, a section of a backing with a transfer embodying the invention.

In carrying out the invention, the design or matter of the transfer is printed with suitable ink, preferably of the type used for rotogravure printing and of the desired colors, upon one face of a web or sheet of a backing made of transparent paper coated with wax, such as 2 Claims. (Cl. 154-95) WaX-coatedtissue. :Thisprintingof the design or matter is done in Areverse .so that its 4front face will .be yonone wax-coated face .of zthebacking. The printing may beadvantageously done on a high speed rotogravureor other suitable press .equipped with a sufficient number :of cylinders-to impress .all :ofthe colors ,onthe backing .and lalso apply a coatingof .adhesive .tothe printed vportions on the weber sheet. For .example, the portions .of one `colorof the design or matter, for example AVblack, are impressed ,on the backing lby the first cylinder .of the press; the portions of another color inthe jdesi'gnior matter, for example blue,.are impressed .onthe backing by the second cylinder.; .the portions of another color, forexamplered, 4areirnpressed on-the Abacking bythe'fthird cylinder; `theportions of .another color, -forexample yellow, lare impressed on the backing by thefourth cylinder; and films of White Ainl: are impressed successively lonly on allrthe colored .portions of Y- the design-or matter. The'lms last impressed on the portions forming the design or-matter are applied so that any color fon thewall'to which the f transfer is applied, vwill not show through the colored-portions of the design or matter. rPhe pressure-sensitive adhesive applied conforms with-and is-conned-to the-colored portions of they design or matter, sovthat when the transfer is applied to a Wall or surface, no adhesive will be-visible.

During the printing off the colors on thebacking a limited degree of heat may-be usedto produce a slight penetration of the printing inkA in the wax-coating of the backing. The colored portions of the design, being individuallyfi-mpressed on the backing, rmaybe separated` or disconnected to produce any desired designconsisting of separated letters or portions, and no coating is necessary, such as lacquer heretofore used in decalcomania for preventing relative displacement of the portions of the design or mat- -ter while the transfer is being impressed on the Wall.

In the drawing, the backing of wax-tissue is designated a; the colors of ink printed on the backing are collectively designated b; and the adhesive is designated c.

The pressure-sensitive adhesive coating which serves as an anchoring or sticking medium for holding the printed transfer against any surface to which it is applied, is usually composed of rubber, zinc oxide, adhesive resins and softeners, and fillers, is applied by the last roll of the printing press to cover only the printed design or matter on the backing of Wax-paper.

In applying the transfer to a wall, the backing is pressed against the wall, so that the adhesive will be applied to the wall. The transfer being visible through the transparent backing makes it possible to accurately spot or place the design in its correct position on the wall. VPressure is applied through the transfer to the printed matter and the adhesive, which Will cause the pressuresensitive adhesive to adhere to the wall and the printed matter to remain on the adhesive. The backing may then be readily peeled or pulled from the wall while the adhesive retains the printed design or matter on the wall. The adhesive affinity between the ink forming the portions of the design and the adhesive is greater in degree than the adhesive alnity of the ink for the waxpaper. As a result, when the backing of waxpaper is peeled oi the wall, all portions of the transfer, whether connected or not will be secured on the wall in exact accordance with the printing on the backing. When the backing has been removed, only the printed matter or design of the transfer will be visible.

The completed product from the press may be wound into rolls for storage until it is to be used. In rolls, the pressure-sensitive adhesive Will be removable from the contiguous face of the waxcoated backing, by unwinding the web from the roll for use, without delamination of the adhesive from the transfer, because the adhesive affinity between the transfer and the adhesive is greater than that between the adhesive and the wax coating on the contiguous convolution of the backing.

The product can be expeditiously produced on a high speed press including the printing of the colors and the application of the adhesive. This makes it possible to produce the transfers for decorating extensive areas, such as the walls of rooms, at a Very low cost. 'I'he rolls may be dimensioned similar to wall-paper used for decorating the entire wall of a room, with transfers thereon for decorating extended or entire areas of the walls, so that the walls may be transferdecorated without a residual backing in lieu of being covered with wall-paper which forms a backing for the decorations. The decorations on the wall may have the appearance of handpainted murals.

When pressure-sensitive adhesive is used on transfers for decorating walls of rooms, the transfers may be readily removed for periodical substitution of different decorations or designs on the wall Without marring the surfaces of the walls, because any remainder of the adhesive can be easily removed. This makes it possible to redecorate locations, such as reception rooms, powder rooms, restaurants or bars. It also makes Patent is:

1. That improvement which comprises: inkprinting a transfer consisting of disconnected portions forming a design or composite matter on a substantially transparent Wax-coated backing whereon the disconnected portions will be retained in xed relation, the ink being separable from the backing, impressing a lm of pressuresensitive adhesive conned and conforming to the areas of the portions of the transfer, applying said areas of the adhesive to a support while the portions of the transfer are retained in fixed relation on the backing, and separating the backing from the transfer while the transfer is adhesively retained on the support.

2. A product comprising a transparent waxcoated paper, a transfer of disconnected portions forming a design or composite matter, printed directly on and separable from the paper, and a lm of pressure sensitive adhesive confined and conforming to the areas of the portions of the transfer, the adhesive being `adapted to retain the portions of the transfer in fixed relation on a support, while the backing is separated from the transfer.

JAMES E. ADAIR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 702,350 Howard June 10, 1902 861,286 Howard July 30, 1907 1,515,676 Grupe Nov. 18, 1924 1,678,341 Kaber July 24, 1928 1,736,597 Higginson Nov. 19, 1929 1,908,075 Stalder May 9, 1933 2,046,924 Pendergast July 7, 1936 2,257,139 Tone et al Sept. 30, 1941 2,351,933 Decker et al June 20, 1944 2,354,073 Swift July 18, 1944 2,394,701 Laws Feb. 12, 1946 .2,426,462 Marksberry Aug. 26, 1947 2,463,244 Carter Mar. 1, 1949 2,558,804 Wittgren July 3, 1951 

1. THAT IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: INKPRINTING A TRANSFER CONSISTING OF DISCONNECTED PORTIONS FORMING A DESIGN OR COMPOSITE MATTER ON A SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSPARENT WAX-COATED BACKING WHEREON THE DISCONNECTED PORTIONS WILL BE RETAINED IN FIXED RELATION, THE INK BEING SEPARABLE FROM THE BACKING, IMPRESSING A FILM OF PRESSURESENSITIVE ADHESIVE CONFINED AND CONFORMING TO THE AREAS OF THE PORTIONS OF THE TRANSFER, APPLYING SAID AREAS OF THE ADHESIVE TO A SUPPORT WHILE THE PORTIONS OF THE TRANSFER ARE RETAINED IN FIXED RELATION ON THE BACKING, AND SEPARATING THE BACKING FROM THE TRANSFER WHILE THE TRANSFER IS ADHESIVELY RETAINED ON THE SUPPORT.
 2. A PRODUCT COMPRISING A TRANSPARENT WAXCOATED PAPER, A TRANSFER OF DISCONNECTED PORTIONS FORMING A DESIGN OR COMPOSITE MATTER, PRINTED DIRECTLY ON AND SEPARABLE FROM THE PAPER, AND A FILM OF PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVE CONFINED AND CONFORMING TO THE AREAS OF THE PORTIONS OF THE TRANSFER, THE ADHESIVE BEING ADAPTED TO RETAIN THE PORTIONS OF THE TRANSFER IN FIXED RELATION ON A SUPPORT, WHILE THE BACKING IS SEPARATED FROM THE TRANSFER. 